Zhang Weiren, a 65-year-old fruit grower from Laixi, East Shandong's Qingdao city, sits on one of his chairs, on March 3, 2019. [Photo/Qilu Evening News]

In 2006 Zhang began experimenting with elms to make his tables and chairs. "The first time I chose elms, but in the end I failed."

He began to use peach trees in 2007, knitting four peach branches together and putting iron molds on them. Depending on the growth of the branches, the trees were shaped each year until they grew into the shapes of a table and chair.

"It took almost 10 years to grow into finished products. Now there are about 800 tables and chairs," Zhang said, adding that once the products are grown, they are then cut, peeled, dried, and polished to be ready for sale.

Zhang took his first set of four peach tree chairs and a round table to the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) in 2016, catching the attention of several merchants who offered to buy the set.

Zhang was not willing to sell just yet as the set were just samples. The fair strengthened his confidence however, which has continued to pay off.